THAT THERE MAY BE A FAIRER SOCIETY IN GHANA - ONE IN WHICH ALL THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST A POWERFUL AND GREEDY FEW, BENEFIT FROM THE NATION'S WEALTH!

Thursday, 16 February 2017

Are Some MPs Lying To Protect Their Reputations In The Appointments Committee Bribery Scandal Allegations?

The proceedings of the parliamentary committee set up by the Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, the Right Honourable Mike Ocquaye, to look into allegations of bribery made by a number of Minority MPs who sit on the Appointments Committee of the House, is pure political theatre, which mirrors perfectly the mostly-hypocritical nature of Ghanaian society.

Unfortunately, that hypocrisy has always been a major drawback in the successful transformation of our country into a prosperous society - one in which all who work hard live well and the vulnerable are protected by societal safety-nets.

It will therefore come as a real surprise to many in this country if the truth were to actually emerge from the work of the committee - which in effect is only going through the motions in order to throw dust in the eyes of ordinary people: if the cynical conspiracy theorists in our midst are to be believed, that is.

The view held by some conspiracy theorists is that lying to protect 'reputations' has become a fine art amongst members of our nation's vampire-elites, for many of whom the cynical phrase, "Thou shall not get caught!" (apologies to Jeffrey Archer the British novelist and conservative politician) is a motto for success in politics and a personal philosophy to enable them prosper mightily at the expense of their fellow humans and the Republic of Ghana.

Naturally, when so many individuals amongst a nation's ruling elites have such a cynical outlook on life, it seldom makes for a society in which social interactions are based on ethics. Is it any wonder then that corruption is rife in our homeland Ghana?

Perhaps the question us mere mortals ought to ponder over is: Is it not an open secret that MPs in Ghana are regularly lobbied by agents of powerful vested interests - seeking to influence the passage of legislation in this country? And is it not also a fact that lobbying MPs is practically unregulated in Ghana - and that a majority of parliamentarians simply see payments by lobbyists as a perk they are privileged to enjoy?

And is it not that very same unpardonable and unspeakable abomination - seeing payments by lobbyists as a perk to be enjoyed as an MP - which has resulted in the sanctioning, over the years since the 4th Republic came into being, of so many one-sided agreements that are clearly inimical to our country, by various Parliaments? Obviously, virtually all those inimical agreements must have been secured by bribing MPs. Pure and simple.

As it happens, there is a video documentary shot by Anas Amereyaw, which he is apparently yet to release into the public domain (or at any rate I am unaware has been released publicly), which proves that point conclusively. When Ghanaians finally get to view that Tiger Eye documentary they will be shocked and disappointed to discover the betrayal of their nation by some of those they elect to represent them in Parliament.

Unfortunately, no matter which part of Ghana one travels to - be it to the northern, southern, eastern or western part of the landmass of the sovereign territitory of the Republic of Ghana - hypocrisy is the defining characteristic of local elites: most of whom are simply not to be trusted. Nothing they say should be taken at face value. Ever.

That is why rather than be principled and do what is right and honourable at all material times, in the first place, the vast majority of important personages in Ghana would rather lie and take advantage of their fellow humans by cheating them - then resort to barefaced lies to cover up their tracks when caught.

Some will even murder others to achieve that end. And there are many such respectable and noble-looking hypocrites in the highest reaches of Ghanaian society hiding terrible secrets, even as we speak.

Could it not therefore be that this being Ghana, indeed the Hon Mahama Ayariga, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Hon Alhassan Suhuyini, are being truthful in what they say - but are being thrown to the wolves: so that dispicable self-important people (who have lying wired into their DNA - as the numerous victims of DKM in the Brong Ahafo Region and elsewhere now realise: much to their disappointment after being used and dumped so ruthlessly) will get away scot-free with their egregious lies? Perhaps.

(Personally, I am tempted to believe Okudzeto Ablakwah, Alhassan Suhuyini and Mahama Ayariga in this matter. What they say sounds more plausible in the ears of discerning and independent-minded souls - for whom being casual with the truth is a cardinal sin for those in public life. But I digress.)

And could it not be that despite the many public denials made by others on that selfsame committee, which Ghanaians have heard thus far, in this whole shabby affair, the truth of the matter is that indeed a New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP did actually offer bribes to Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee?

And were those bribes not meant to approve the nomination of Hon Agyarko (who was definitely unaware that bribes had been offered on his behalf to Minority MPs) as energy minister - but that some very important figures in Parliament are being true to type and lying through their teeth to protect their undeserved reputations at the expense of others: whom they clearly deem to be expendable because they are not so important in their Machiavellian eyes, if the conspiracy theorists are right, that is? Possibly. What bloody sods. And what bloody nerve.